dynasty
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English , Charles had managed to get 20 galleys into the Channel in support of the French in campaigns in Chatereaux and Nantes . But severe weather and the English fleet eventually depleted his forces . Not to be outdone , Charles re-provisioned and put another fleet of 32 ships and 7,000 men together to confront the English naval forces and reinforce the French . But the reinforcements were too late to stop the English invasion of France across the Channel and this set the stage
Charles I for one of the strategic defeats in the power struggle with the English . A crushing defeat was suffered by the French at Crécy , where Charles I also fell victim . Crécy , 26 August 1346 : a date to remember and a battle that went down in history . Charles I was on the front lines with the French , along with Anthony Doria leading the Genoese . Charles ’ forces were exhausted from marching . Worse , and a deciding factor in the battle , the crossbowmen ’ s strings were wet , degrading the reach of their arrows which fell short of the English lines . Meanwhile , the English had kept their strings dry and the arrows of their longbow-men rang true , decimating the French ranks . Angered and desperate , the French King ordered his cavalry to charge , running over the Genoese infantry in the process . The English longbow-men mowed down the French cavalry with their arrows and wounding Charles in the process . The French forces were decimated and what remained fled , leaving Charles I for dead on the battlefield .
Against all odds , Charles ’ tough physical constitution meant he did in fact survive . It was a blessing for Monaco as he spent the rest of his reign consolidating the expansions of Monaco ’ s territory that he had negotiated with the Spinolas and the Lord of Provence . These included Menton and Roquebrune purchased from Nicholas Spinola ; and Eze and Castillon purchased from the Lord of Provence . It is rumoured that Charles I bought Menton and Roquebrune with gold from the Southampton raid . These new additions remained in Monaco ’ s expanded territory for more than 500 years , until 1861 . Monaco had all she needed for her livelihood : ovens , mills , and an arsenal .
As for the succession that Charles I planned — a joint rule by two of his sons Gabriel and Rainier II together with his uncle was put in place after he died on 15 August 1357 . But the new Genoese doge , Simone Boccanegra , elected by the popular party , laid siege to the fortress of the Rock once again and took control . However , it returned to Grimaldi rule in the 1417 – 1419 period .
Charles I of Monaco had eight children , following his marriage to Lucchina Spinola , daughter of Lord Girardo Spinola of Dertonne , including Gabriel , Rainier and Louis . Eventually Louis would succeed his brothers . The Grimaldi dynasty would continue to rule Monaco with an expanded territory thanks to Charles I .
This was an important historical moment as it was documented for the first time , in response to the Pope ’ s attempted intervention , that Monaco was independent and not under any other state ’ s jurisdiction
It is rumoured that Charles I bought Menton and Roquebrune with gold from the Southampton raid .
© w-dog . net
Charles I almost did not survive the English victory in the battle of Crécy — left for dead but narrowly escaped
112 / Hello Monaco Spring – Summer 2018